Theo Lock, a young boy from Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, was repeatedly told his severe leg pain was due to constipation or arthritis, but he was eventually diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects only about 100 children in the UK each year.
Persistent Symptoms and Misdiagnosis
Theo had just started primary school when he began experiencing intense pain in his legs, which made it difficult for him to walk and deprived him of normal childhood activities. His mother, Jess Horne, took him to the hospital multiple times, where doctors suggested he might be severely constipated or have arthritis. Jess persisted, and eventually an X-ray was performed.
The X-ray revealed what was initially thought to be a cyst on Theo's hip, but an ultrasound of his stomach also uncovered a mass near his kidney. In March, Theo was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma, a cancer that develops in nerve tissue.
Family's Shock and Awareness Campaign
Theo's aunt, Poppy Lock, 33, expressed the family's shock: "To hear that he was in hospital with suspected constipation to now being told that he's got stage four neuroblastoma, it's come as a huge shock because it's such a rare cancer."
Neuroblastoma commonly presents as a lump in the belly, neck, or chest, and can cause swollen lymph nodes, bone pain, and dark circles under the eyes. Following his diagnosis, Theo was transferred to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where he is undergoing intensive chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy's Toll and Fundraiser
Poppy described Theo's initial resilience: "At first he was handling it really well. He's such a happy, smiley little boy. He loves Spiderman, he loves Black Panther... But as the weeks have progressed the chemotherapy has taken effect on his body, now he just sleeps most of the time."
To support Jess, who left her job to be at Theo's bedside, Poppy set up a fundraiser that has raised £23,000 so far, far exceeding the initial £2,000 goal. "Every time I was refreshing the page it just went up and up and up. People have been so generous," Poppy said. The family also aims to raise awareness about neuroblastoma, urging parents to persist if symptoms persist.
